Maintaining and ensuring the proper sealing of container and closure combinations are important considerations for many different kinds of packaged products, such as food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. A compromised seal can result in the introduction of atmospheric and other forms of contamination into the container system. Contaminants introduced through a compromised seal can be detrimental to the vitality of the container contents, reduce shelf-life, and may pose significant health risk when the contents are intended for human consumption. A compromised seal, however, can be difficult to detect by consumers and individuals handling packaged goods.
Tamper-evident closures can assist consumers and individuals handling packaged goods to easily detect compromised closures. For example, a first opening of a closure and container combination can be visually and audibly detected where tamper-evident means are in the form of a detachable ring that breaks and separates from the closure means upon opening. An individual can easily discern the detached ring and will recognize the container and closure combination has been compromised. Recognizing the compromised seal consumers can select an uncompromised product and individuals handling packaged products for sale can choose to return the compromised goods to the manufacturer and/or to discard the goods.
The usefulness of the tamper-evident closure depends on the successful identifying characteristic being generated in every case where the container and closure system has been compromised. A failure rate, even when low, may be particularly unacceptable when the contents of the container and closure combination are intended for human consumption or use. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a tamper-evident closure that succeeds in identifying a compromised closure each time the container contents have been introduced to potential environmental contaminants.